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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sustainable travel plan for city | Sustainable travel plan for city |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Cardiff has been selected to become Wales' first "sustainable travel town" by the assembly government. | Cardiff has been selected to become Wales' first "sustainable travel town" by the assembly government. |
| The £28.5m scheme aims to provide free cycle hire, bus travel around the city centre, and improved bike and walking routes. | The £28.5m scheme aims to provide free cycle hire, bus travel around the city centre, and improved bike and walking routes. |
| The city will receive the funding from the government and the county council over the next two years. | The city will receive the funding from the government and the county council over the next two years. |
| The money will pay for improvements to public transport, including a new park and ride facility. | The money will pay for improvements to public transport, including a new park and ride facility. |
| If the scheme is successful, it could be repeated in other areas of Wales. | If the scheme is successful, it could be repeated in other areas of Wales. |
| The plans will see free circular bus shuttles introduced in the city centre, a free bike hire scheme, new park and ride facilities in Pentwyn to serve the east side of the city and measures to tackle congestion. | The plans will see free circular bus shuttles introduced in the city centre, a free bike hire scheme, new park and ride facilities in Pentwyn to serve the east side of the city and measures to tackle congestion. |
| The money also gives the go-ahead for the Pont-y-Werin pedestrian and cycle bridge across the Ely river between Cardiff's sports village and Penarth. | The money also gives the go-ahead for the Pont-y-Werin pedestrian and cycle bridge across the Ely river between Cardiff's sports village and Penarth. |
| 'Car clubs' | 'Car clubs' |
| The council hopes to include further phases once the initial two-year plan is complete. | The council hopes to include further phases once the initial two-year plan is complete. |
| TRAVEL TOWN HIGHLIGHTS Free city centre bus shuttle serviceA new park and ride facility at Pentwyn Improved cycling and walking routes Final go-ahead for the Pont-y-Werin pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Ely river between Penarth and the Sports Village (pictured above) | |
| The initiative will see £14.5m from the Welsh Assembly Government and £14mi from Cardiff Council, initially for two years but the council hope to include further phases after that. | |
| Announcing the money, the transport minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said: "Commuter levels in and around Cardiff have increased significantly over the past few years. | |
| "This is an exciting opportunity to develop and implement a range of innovative transport solutions which will benefit the 210,000 people who travel into the city on a daily basis. | "This is an exciting opportunity to develop and implement a range of innovative transport solutions which will benefit the 210,000 people who travel into the city on a daily basis. |
| "This scheme will also support our physical activity action plan, which is currently being developed." | "This scheme will also support our physical activity action plan, which is currently being developed." |
| Improvements to the infrastructure will include better bus lanes and the future pedestrianisation of High Street and Mary Street. | Improvements to the infrastructure will include better bus lanes and the future pedestrianisation of High Street and Mary Street. |
| There will also be incentives to travel sustainably, car clubs, journey sharing schemes and free bike hire. | There will also be incentives to travel sustainably, car clubs, journey sharing schemes and free bike hire. |
| Danish experience | Danish experience |
| Jane Davidson, minister for the environment and sustainability, called the scheme a "win-win situation" for health and congestion, with increased bus and cycle use and fewer cars on the road. | Jane Davidson, minister for the environment and sustainability, called the scheme a "win-win situation" for health and congestion, with increased bus and cycle use and fewer cars on the road. |
| "We have become far too reliant on using the car and we need to consider alternative, greener ways to travel," she said. | "We have become far too reliant on using the car and we need to consider alternative, greener ways to travel," she said. |
| The scheme is backed by sustainable travel charity Sustrans Cymru. | The scheme is backed by sustainable travel charity Sustrans Cymru. |
| Director Lee Waters said: "Thirty years ago Copenhagen had the same levels of cycling that Cardiff has today. | Director Lee Waters said: "Thirty years ago Copenhagen had the same levels of cycling that Cardiff has today. |
| "Now, over a third of all commuting journeys in the Danish capital are by bike. Cardiff has the potential to achieve the same. | "Now, over a third of all commuting journeys in the Danish capital are by bike. Cardiff has the potential to achieve the same. |
| "With a joined-up approach, we can encourage people to use their cars less and chose to travel in ways which benefit their health and the environment." | "With a joined-up approach, we can encourage people to use their cars less and chose to travel in ways which benefit their health and the environment." |
| But Chris Yewlett, of Cardiff University's School of City and Regional Planning, warned that many people would continue to use their cars because of the "perceived benefit" unless public transport was more convenient. | |
| "You have got to make public transport more attractive," he said. | |
| "You have got to try and get public transport into where people want to go. | |
| "If you have a system which has, as suggested, new bus stations all round the periphery of the city centre, then you have to get off and change buses or walk in past all the car parks to get to the shops, that's not going to discourage people from using their car on a park and ride basis. | |
| "It might get the commuters to come on the bus network but it's not going to get the shoppers to come." |